17-1-2024 (BANGKOK) A tragic explosion at a fireworks factory in central Thailand has claimed the lives of at least 15 people, according to statements from rescue workers on Wednesday. The exact death toll remains uncertain, but Kritsada Manee-In, a rescue worker with the Samerkun Suphan Buri Rescue Foundation, estimated that the casualties could be between 15 to 20 individuals. Local media reports offered varying figures regarding the death toll.
Distressing images shared online by local rescue teams in Suphan Buri province depicted the factory site, located in an otherwise empty rice field, completely flattened, with debris and body parts scattered in the aftermath of the explosion.
The cause of the blast is not immediately clear, raising concerns as it occurred less than a month before the Chinese New Year in February. This period typically witnesses a surge in demand for fireworks.
In a similar incident in July of the previous year, a substantial explosion at a fireworks warehouse in southern Thailand resulted in at least 10 fatalities and over 100 injuries, as reported by officials. The explosion in Narathiwat province occurred in a residential area, causing damage to approximately 100 houses within a radius of about 500 meters (1,640 feet), according to the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation.
Authorities suggested that the explosion in Narathiwat was likely triggered by construction work underway in the warehouse. Sparks from metal welding ignited the stored fireworks, leading to a catastrophic chain reaction of fires and explosions.
